Augustus F. (Augustus Foster) Rose

Born in Hebron, Nova Scotia, in 1873, he moved to Boston with his family in 1887 and later graduated from the Massachusetts School of Art in 1896. He spent most of his working life in Providence, Rhode Island, where he taught at Providence Technical High School and the Rhode Island School of Design, and later served as director of manual arts for the city’s public schools.

He was known not only as a teacher but also as a metalworker, jewelry designer, and tool designer. In 1917 he founded the Metal Crafts Supply Company in Providence, selling specialized tools based on his own designs, and he was associated with the Metal Crafts Publishing Company, which issued books on metalworking subjects.

Rose is remembered today for clear, practical craft books such as Jewelry Making and Design and Copper Work. His background as an educator shows throughout his writing: he explained techniques for students, teachers, and working craftspeople in a way that still feels useful and approachable.